Referring to JP-2002-71389A, a general pointer type indicating apparatus is suitably used for an operation panel P1 of a vehicle air conditioner, as shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B.
The pointer type indicating apparatus has multiple indicators M11, M12 and M13 and multiple operation switches SW1, SW2 and SW3. The indicators M11, M12 and M13 indicate operation content of the vehicle air conditioner, which includes the blowing-out mode, the blowing fan speed, and the temperature, for example.
FIG. 16B is an enlarged view of the indicator M11 in FIG. 16A. The indicator M11, being constructed of an analog meter, has a dial plate 1 on which illustrations 2 (i.e., index portion) are provided to indicate the various blowing-out modes (i.e., operation information items), and a pointer 3 which points one of the illustrations 2. The indicator M12, M13 has the same construction with the indicator M11. The pointer 3 of the indicator M12, M13 points one of the operation information items indicated by the index portion 2 (letters or illustrations) shown on the dial plate 1 thereof.
The operation switches SW1, SW2 and SW3, each of which is constructed of a seesaw switch, are respectively arranged at the lower side of the indicators M11, M12 and M13. A user presses the operation switch SW1, SW2, SW3 so that the corresponding pointer 3 points the preferable letter or illustration 2. Thus, the blowing-out mode, the blowing fan speed and the temperature can be adjusted. Then, the vehicle air conditioner is controlled to provide a preferable operation.
The pointer type indicating apparatus is further provided with an operation button B0 for setting the vehicle air conditioner (A/C), an operation button B1 for setting an automatic air-blowing operation, an operation button B2 for a defogger and an operation button B3 for setting an air circulation mode.
However, in this case, the operation panel P1 (air conditioner panel) is provided with a lot of operation units including the operation switches SW1-SW3 and the operation buttons B0-B3, thus having a complicated appearance. Therefore, it is intricate for the user to seek for the wanted switch and button. Thus, an operation confusion will be caused.
Moreover, the indicator M11, M12, M13 is arranged separately from the operation switch SW1, SW2, SW3 on the air conditioner panel P1. Therefore, the user is to discriminate the indicator M11, M12, M13 and the corresponding operation switch SW1, SW2, SW3 to operate them.
For example, in the case where the user wants to adjust the blowing-out mode, the user is to visually identify the indicator M11 to confirm the current blowing-out mode, and discriminate the operation switch SW1 (for setting blowing-out mode) from the operation switches SW2 and SW3 by the index portion 2 (illustrations or letters) shown thereon. Thus, bewilderment in operation will be caused.
This problem also occurs when the pointer type indicating apparatus is used for an operation panel of an audio, a camera or the like.